Athlete s supporter



(No Model.)

J. J. PPISTER. ATHLETES SUPPORTER.

No. 568,408. Patented July 7, 1896.

co moraumd. WASNINGZbN, o c.

- forwhere the motion of the legs is constant,

' ting into a stringy shape, and must be held out UNITED STATES PATE T EEIcE.

JOHN J. PFISTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ATHLETES SUPPORTEER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,408, dated July '7, 1896;

Application filed October 28, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. PFIsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented an Improvement in Athletes Supporters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of supporters used by athletes, in which a cross-band, adapted to pass between the legs, is supported from a waistband.

Though my invention in its broadest sense is applicable to and may form part of any supporter having a cross-band and a waistband, it is more especially, and in its most perfect form, involved in an improved supporterof that description patented by me May 19, 1 891, in Letters Patent of the United States No. 452, 529, to which said patent reference is hereby made. The use of a cross-band passing between the legs, though necessary in all supporters,is attendant with some inconvenience, which, in some forms of exercise, experience now shows amounts to more serious difficulty,

especially when without variety or change, as in bicycle riding, and where in this, as well as in horseback riding, there is added the effect of the constant pressure on the saddle, chafing is likely to result. This is due to the tendency of the cross-band to become compressed or drawn into a stringy shape, and the rubbing. of the flesh against the edges of the band is the cause of much discomfort. To overcome this, the cross-band must be prevented from getas fiat and straight as possible, with its edges kept smooth,at the same time care being taken to not detract from its normal function, which, of course, can only be s-ubserved by allowing it to remain as tight as possible in order to furnish the necessary support. It is this result which it is the object of my present invention to attain; and to this end my invention consists of the athletes supporter hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawing, to which reference is hereby made, illustrates the best form of my supporter.

A is the waistband, composed of two elastic pieces, the edges of which, back and front, are

Serial No. 567,082. (No model.)

inclined to fit the shape of the wearer by converging downwardly in front, following the contour or lines of the abdomen and groins, and converging upwardly in the back to fit closely the upper portion of the buttocks, and leading into the lower end of the spine.

B is the cross-band, made of any suitable material; in practice,knit goods. It is also fashioned to a fit, its front end being widened to the top,its edges corresponding and secured to the edges of the waistband-pieces. Thence the cross-band tapers to a size adapted to pass conveniently between the legs, and thence it widens again until where it meets the waistband-pieces in the back, and from there up it tapers upwardly to conform to the edges of the waistband-pieces, to which it is secured by its own ed ges- C are the annular leg-bands. These may be made of any suitable material; in practice, knit goods. They are comparatively short, their length being regulated, as experience has shown, by the double requirement of furnishing a smooth and sufficient hold on the legs, and yet long enough to avoid any tendeucy to ride up or wrinkle. They are secured around their top edges to the lower edges of the waistband-pieces and to the adjacent side edges of the cross-band. Their'functions are to hold the cross-band out flat and smooth,and prevent it from being compressed or worked into a stringy shape, and to prevent chafing against the edges of said cross-band. This latter purpose is of course effected by'doing away with such edges, and the former is subserved by reason of the hold or bearing which such bands have upon and about the leg, and the impossibility of working themselves up, to permit the cross-band to lie otherwise than flat and smooth and in such a state conforming accurately to the inner angles of the thighs.

It will be noted that the proper function of the cross-band is not interfered with, as it remains as tight as ever, and for this reason, as well as because of the presence of the tight and fashioned waistband and cross-band, the supporter must not be confounded with an abbreviated customary undergarment, which, even with shortened legs, would not serve the purpose of a supporter.

This improved supporter has been found to be perfectly comfortable in bicycle and horse- 1 back riding, in both of which exercises serious difliculty in the use of the ordinary supporter arose, and for the reasons above stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.. An athletes supporter consisting of an elastic waistband, a tightly-fittin g cross-band adapted to pass between the legs, and means for holding the cross-band out fiat and smooth consisting of short annular leg-bands secured around their top edges to the lower edges of the waistband and to the adjacent side edges of the cross-band.

2. An athletes supporter consisting of a waistband composed of two separated pieces of elastic material, the front edges of which converge downwardly and their back edges converge upwardly, a cross-band having the side edges of its ends correspondingly inclined to, lying between and secured to the separated ends of the waistband-pieces, and annular legbands, the top edges of which are secured to the adjacent edges of the waistband and of the cross-band.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN J. PFISTER.

Vitnesses:

GEo. T. KNOX, H. J. LANG. 

